After Quick Start, Rangers Move On

New York Rangers' Christian Backman, left, and Martin Straka, right, congratulate Jaromir Jagr, after Jagr scored during the first period in Game 5 of their series Friday, April 18, 2008. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

(Newser)
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So much for home-ice advantage for New Jersey. With tonight's 5-3 loss to the New York Rangers, the Devils were knocked out of the first round of the NHL's Eastern Conference quarterfinals in the fifth game of the best-of-seven series, bowing to a team that has dominated them the entire season by now winning 11 of 13.

The Rangers got past round one for the second straight season on the strength of first-period goals tonight by Michal Rozsival, Jaromir Jagr, Scott Gomez and another in the second by Chris Drury. New Jersey tried to rally, getting two past the Rangers’ Henrik Lundqvist in the second period, but never evened the score before the final horn sounded. (Read more Stanley Cup stories.)